Domestic

Tips to Tame Troubles at the Terminal

Air travel today means running an obstacle course before you ever get on the plane. Use these tips to tame those troubles at the terminal.

You've scored your First Class or Business Class ticket at a great price and arrived at the airport on time. What could go wrong between here and that lie-flat seat with fresh croissants on the breakfast tray?

Answer: a lot, according to recent bloggers, commenting on potential problems at the airport before you ever get on your plane. How many of us have experienced these issues? How many have thought of these innovative ways to avoid or solve them?

Perils of Parking

You've reached your preferred off-site lot near the airport and, to your chagrin, every slot is full, save one. And you feel murder in your heart for the SUV driver who parked across the line into that slot, making it too small for even a Smart car. What do you do?

Consider airport lots, says Andrew Monko, blogging at msn.travel.com, "rates may not be as expensive as you think." He points out that the long-term lots at several major cities charge less than $11 a day. An even better solution if you're on a morning flight: Book an overnight stay at many airport hotels and your parking is free for up to a week.

What about the opposite problem--having to take that embarrassing tour of the lot in the security Jeep to find your car on your return? "Blondie," a flight attendant who blogs at myviewfrom30000feet.blogspot.com, offers this remedy: "Take a cell phone photo of where you parked or send yourself a text message" noting the location.

Security Snafus

You're late for your flight but prepared to sprint to the gate. There's only one thing stopping you. It's that long line at security. Is there any way to get through it faster?

MSN blogger Jon Douglas takes the time-motion study approach, pre-opening pockets and zippers before reaching the conveyor. Fellow blogger Amy Swanson meanwhile addresses the common fear that, as your laptop exits the scanner before you leave the metal detector, someone will mistake it as their own and carry it off. "Try slapping stickers on it, or simply wrap string around it," she says.

Missed Connections

Especially with spring or summer thunder-bumpers in the air, there's always a risk that weather will strand you at an intermediate stop on your journey. Handle it, says Associated Press Travel Editor Beth J. Harpaz, by carrying a list of alternate flights that can complete your itinerary and programming the numbers of the airlines operating them into your phone so you can quickly rebook. "If you wait for the airline to do this, you will not get a seat," she says.

She also advises checking weather at your points of origin and destination, as well as at any stops, before you fly. If any look iffy, you may want to change your plans. And in any case, adds the website Chron.com, "whenever possible, fly first thing in the morning. Evening flights have a higher chance of delays or cancellations."

If you can't avoid these "terminal troubles", says blogger Brett Snyder at the aptly-named Crankyflier.com, "bring a lot of patience with you to the airport, and remember that being nice can only help you."

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